Why Kylo Ren wears a mask, and 4 other Star Wars: The Last Jedi reveals from NYCC

Star Wars: The Last Jedi may not have an official panel at New York Comic Con 2017, but its presence is still very much felt. From full-scale replicas of sets to factoids that will Ewok your socks off, there’s a whole bunch of cool and interesting tidbits to tide you over until the imminent release of Star Wars 8’s second trailer. Here are five of the best…

Here's why Kylo wears a helmet

Kylo wearing a helmet doesn’t make sense when you think about it, but a mini-exhibition at NYCC (via /Film) has revealed that the Sith uses it to “mask his visage and voice” to not only conceal his identity, but also to help him focus on his turn to the Dark Side. Is Kylo scared of whispers about his true identity going around the First Order? It sure looks that way. But I wouldn’t say it to his face. Or mask.

Cool info confirming that Snoke will have a total of eight Praetorian guards in #TheLastJedi and why Kylo wears a helmet... #NYCC #StarWars pic.twitter.com/Yr4wcbhtt15 October 2017

How Kylo takes after his dad

An infographic about Kylo’s TIE fighter not only explains the ins and outs of Kylo’s personal vehicle, but makes explicit reference to inheriting “amazing pilot skills from his father.” I wonder if Kylo has inherited Han’s sense of right and wrong too…?

Some bits on the Resistance bombers and Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer. #NYCC #StarWars pic.twitter.com/sG5Zqc1NV15 October 2017

How many guards Snoke has

Snoke’s guards look hella cool but did you know that he actually only has a finite amount of Praetorian guards? There are only 8 of the red bodyguards, meaning that Snoke isn’t exactly completely untouchable – unless you look at the guards’ weapons…

The weapons Snoke's guards use

Snoke’s elite force has a couple of weapons at their disposal. There’s the vanilla single blade sword with “electro-plasma filament energy” coursing through it. Or, if you’re suitably skilled, there’s the option for a double sword, Darth Maul style, which can split into two large single blades.

Some details on the weapons of Snoke's Praetorian guards #NYCC. pic.twitter.com/94wk56oPnj5 October 2017

Starkiller Base Mk. 2?

The Starkiller Base may have gone bye-bye at the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens but it’s telling that, under a giant The Last Jedi sign, a replica of a First Order Starkiller Base still remains. Does the First Order have a carbon-copy plan hidden under their sleeves? Or is it a red herring entirely? Not long to wait to find out...

#TheLastJedi booth is fully operational at #NYCC. pic.twitter.com/v3cHDkjfyn5 October 2017